Forever
by kitkat681
Summary: Raising four little girls alone is hard. Dating is even harder. A tale of sacrifice and true love. Based on a true story.
1. Chapter 1

**Forever**

**Chapter One**

"What's one date?" Rosalie whispered harshly, trying not to wake the sleeping child in her arms. She had one goal that day, to get her friend to meet the newest associate at the firm of McCarty, Newton and Whitlock. Being the wife of one of the founding partners of the law firm had its perks, one of which was the ability to scope out the newest attorneys as they came aboard.

"Rose," Bella sighed as she dodged a swarm of running children, "I had popcorn for dinner last night. I couldn't care less if he's an attorney. Money doesn't mean anything to me."

"I wasn't talking about how much he makes, Bella. What I meant was that he is determined." Bella's cheeks flushed as she realized the mistake she'd made, but money was a sore spot for her. She'd been raising her four little girls on her own for almost two years after her good-for-nothing husband decided the girls were just 'too much' for him and ran off with a woman nearly half his age. The bastard hadn't been around to see the girls in almost two months and his child support payments were sporadic at best. While Bella always made sure her girls had food, it had come down to being able to pay the electric bill or get 'grown up' food. The electric bill had won out that month.

"I'm sorry, but I really need to just concentrate on the girls right now. The house is falling down around our ears. Dating isn't really a top priority."

"What if we all go?" Rose pleaded. She saw Bella waver just enough and knew if she pushed just a _little _harder, she'd win. "You can bring Alice." The tempting thought of a dinner out with her oldest daughter, who'd just started kindergarten a week earlier, had Bella nodding before she could stop.

"Execellent!" Rose yelled, waking her snoozing son, causing him to erupt in angry screams.

* * *

**A/N: So...hi! I know, I know...it's been a LOOONNNGGGG time. I suck epic amounts. I know. And I know I have a bastard story waiting for me, but this is what's coming out of my brain right now.**

**I'm getting married next Friday, August 1st. So to celebrate that fact, I decided to write our happily ever after for you guys. I'm probably going to try to post a chapter a day up until next Friday. Depending on how many chapters it ends up being (I'm working on chapter seven right now) you may get more than one. **

**So enjoy! **

**KK **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Best behavior, please."

"Come on, mommy," Alice encouraged, pulling at her mother's restraining hold on her arm. She had watched Ms. Rosalie's car pull into the restaurant's parking lot a minute ago and wanted to see the friend they would be having dinner with. "I hope she has long hair that I can braid."

"I already told you, Alice, it's a friend for mommy, not for you," Bella said, feeling a knot of insecurity bubbling in her stomach. Why had she let Rose talk her into this? Smoothing down her slightly frizzy curls, Bella tugged at her too-short skirt and pulled her sweater down over her hands. Had she known she would be ending the day at a sorta-fancy Italian restaurant, she would have dressed differently that morning.

A wave of nausea hit Bella when she saw Rosalie, her son Carlisle and a well-dressed man coming toward her through the parking lot. She distracted herself by straightening Alice's school uniform.

"Hi, Carlisle!" Alice cooed, reaching her hand up for a high five from the toddler. Carlisle happily smacked Alice's hand and reached his chubby arms out for Bella. Though Rose was Carlisle's mother, Bella took care of him every day, and seemed to have a stronger bond with the little boy than either of his parents. Taking the comforting weight of the child as another layer of camouflage, Bella looked over at the mystery man, shifting the child enough to free her right hand.

"I'm Bella."

"Hi, Bella," he said as he firmly grasped Bella's hand. "I'm Edward."

"There's my girl!" A booming shout startled Bella and she dropped Edward's hand as her cheeks flamed. Leave it to Rosalie's husband, Emmett, to ruin a perfectly good moment.

"Jesus, Emmett," Rosalie scolded, smacking him half-heartedly on the arm as he approached. Emmett was an intimidating man, seeming to tower over everyone around him. He had been a competitive swimmer in college, but no longer had the lanky look of a man who spent all day in the pool. Now he looked more like a brick shithouse. Next to Emmett, Edward looked rather small. Bella's shoulders slumped in disappointment. Standing at five foot nine, Bella had been hoping _if_ the man of her dreams ever did come, he would be big enough to actually sweep her off her feet. Edward didn't look like he'd be able to sweep the floor.

"Let's eat," Emmett said as he steered them toward the entrance, "I'm starving."

* * *

**A/N: Oh mah GAWD! So amazing to see so many familiar names in the reviews! I'm writing this more as a reminder of where I/we've come and where we are going. My (almost) husband is confused as hell as to why I'm doing this but I just HAVE TO! You all have been beside me from the birth of my last little one to my asshole ex-husband leaving me and the girls all alone, if only through author's notes. So why should I not share the happily (sometimes not so happily) ever after of my life? Working on chapter 10. Probably end up with three or so chapters a day, and yes some will be much longer than others. **

**3**

**KK**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Here, sit Carlisle next to me," Bella offered, snatching the high chair from Rosealie's hands. She shot her friend a scowl as she slid Carlisle into the chair and buckled him. Now she had a safety buffer between herself and Edward. With Alice chatting happily on her other side, she was in no way required to give Edward all her attention.

"So what do you do, Bella?" Edward asked as they waited for the waitress to bring their drinks. Bella kept her eyes on Carlisle as he banged happily on the tabletop.

"I run a child care program. Little Carlisle here is one of my customers," she teased as she nuzzled his chubby cheeks.

"We were blessed to have found Bella," Emmett said, winking at her from across the table, making her blush.

"No seriously," Rosalie interjected, "I can drop Carlisle off and know he's being treated like one of her own."

"Well with my three little sisters there at school too, what's a few more?" Alice giggled. Bella rolled her eyes and turned to Edward.

"Alice is my oldest, she turns six at the end of the month. I have twins, fraternal, not identical, Tanya and Bree, who will be four and my littlest, Katie, is two."

"Wow, that's a lot to handle," Edward admitted, unconsciously pulling at his tie. Bella looked up at him, ready to reply defensively, when she was distracted by how green his eyes were. The hunter color of his shirt made them pop even more, and if she didn't know better, she'd think he'd worn it just for that reason.

"Yes it is," Bella replied. The moment was broken when Carlisle started slamming his fork and spoon down on the table loudly.

"Guess we have a drummer on our hands."

"Looks like someone is going to be a drummer."

Bella and Edward spoke at the same time, causing Bella to turn pink once again. Pretty soon, red was going to be her permanent color.

Once the food arrived, Bella was able to concentrate on making sure Alice didn't spill on her new shirt and that Carlisle didn't choke on the copious amounts of mozzarella cheese that was smothered on top of the pasta. She had neatly deflected any conversation away from herself and with dessert quickly approaching, she was confident that she'd made herself boring enough that Edward would never think twice about a second date.

"Carlisle, come back here," Bella faux-growled as her little charge crawled away from the table. He'd started to get restless after the coffee arrived so she let him out of his chair. The restaurant was nearly empty so she didn't have to worry about him disturbing any other diners. He'd somehow managed to find a dirty fork on the floor and Bella quickly slid out of her chair to grab it before he stuck it in his mouth.

"No, that's cock," she said, instantly realizing her error. "Oh shit, I meant cocky, yucky, not cock…I didn't mean to say cock," she rambled. Emmett and Edward both started to chuckle. Alice yawned and Bella silently thanked her daughter for her exhaustion.

"Thanks so much for coming out to eat with us, you guys," Emmett said as he led the way out to the parking lot. They had sent home the leftovers with Bella, much to her embarrassment. She hated being treated like a charity case, but Alice was excited to share the pasta with her sisters the next day.

"You want to help me get Carlisle strapped in, Alice?" Rosalie asked, shooting Bella a glared over the child's head. Bella sighed as she realized she was not going to get away with just a handshake goodbye to her blind date.

"So…" Bella mumbled, keeping her eyes on the ground as she stood next to Edward.

"Sorry this was so awkward, but Rosalie is a bit…demanding," Edward said quietly, his deep voice vibrating through the quiet September night. Bella smiled as she realized she wasn't the only one who was ordered around by both Rosalie and Emmett.

"She always seems to get what she wants," Bella agreed, daring to meet his gaze. Those damn green eyes caught her once more and she couldn't seem to look away. "Thanks for humoring her."

"No, it was my pleasure. Thanks for having dinner with me," he replied, before reaching for her. The hug was short and fairly impersonal, but Bella couldn't remember the last time she'd been hugged by anyone who didn't smell like pee and cheerios.

Driving back to her mother's house to pick up the rest of her crew, Bella wasn't able to shake the feeling that her life had just taken a sharp turn.

* * *

**A/N: So I finished writing this. It was a roller coaster trying to get everything down, and I skipped a ton of stuff, but the gist is here. There are 15 chapters, so you get three today and two every day until next Friday, my wedding day. I hope you are enjoying this little peek into my real life but when we get the the sex scenes, pretend it's Edward and Bella :-P**

**KK**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Text from Emmett**

**Would you be willing to go on a second date with him?**

**Text from Bella**

**He's awful small. He'd blow a disc if he tried to pick me up.**

**Text from Emmett**

**That's bullshit. You have a fucked up body image. **

**Text from Bella**

**Don't hold back, Emmett. Tell me how you really feel.**

**Text from Emmett**

**Seriously, B. He had a good time. Can I please give him your number?**

**Text from Bella**

**Fine, but I doubt anything will happen.**

"Oh look, Bella, someone is getting an Edible Arrangement." Bella looked over her mother's shoulder out the kitchen window to see the Edible Arrangement van sitting in the parking lot their child care program shared with a bakery. Those damn fruit baskets were delicious and she envied the recipient.

"Oh! They're coming here!" Bella pushed away from the counter and sprinted to the front door. As soon as the bell rang, she yanked it open, startling the delivery guy.

"Delivery for Bella Swan?"

"That's me!" After signing for the bouquet, Bella all but slammed the door in the poor guy's face as she fumbled for the card.

**I had a great time at dinner with you and Alice. If you'd like to try it again without chaperons, let me know**

**Edward**

"Oh my God," Bella whispered as she read the card over and over. Edward's cell number was at the bottom of the card. She had never been pursued by anyone in her entire life. When she was dating her ex-husband, the relationship had just sorta become comfortable. She hadn't loved him and pretty much just used him because she was ready to have kids. His eventual betrayal and abandonment didn't hurt her, she just hated the way he'd also abandoned her girls. Now she had a successful, attractive man sending her fruit and asking her for a second date.

"Yummy!" Katie yelled when she spied the big basket of fruit. Her tiny hands reached up and grabbed a spear of grapes.

"You should call him," her mother said as she pulled a piece of pineapple off the stick and popped it in her mouth.

"I hate talking on the phone," Bella mumbled around a mouthful of chocolate-covered banana. "Maybe we can text if he has an iPhone."

**Text from Bella**

**Hi Edward! Thanks so much for the fruit! The girls can't stop eating it. I have a really shitty cell package and have virtually no minutes each month and no texts at all, but if you have an iPhone we can iMessage.**

**Text from Edward**

**Glad you and the girls like the fruit. You didn't seem to be the kind of girl who is into flowers. I do indeed have an iPhone so we're in luck. Rosalie asked if I could come by today and help her pick up Carlisle. Would you be okay with that? **

Bella looked down at her three youngest girls chomping away on the fruit he'd so thoughtfully sent. She didn't want to have him meet her girls unless he was actually going to be a part of their lives. But since he was coming with Rose, she could introduce him as Rose's friend. That would give her time to see if he was right for her. For Bella, her girls were her number one priority.

**Text from Bella**

**That would be fine with me**

The keypad on the door beeped right at 4:45, making Bella's heart start pumping double time. Carlisle was changed and ready to go, and as Rosalie walked down the stairs, he started crawling toward her. Bella's eyes, meanwhile, were on the figure slowly descending the stairs behind her. Not only would he be meeting her girls, Edward would also be forced to meet Bella's mom as well.

"So nice to meet you, Edward," Renee said as she shook his hand. Bella stood slightly behind her mother, her three younger girls standing behind her. Alice was her usual bubbly self and went right up to Edward to thank him for the fruit.

"The girls didn't leave me much, but I don't really like fruit anyway," she told him, before she bounded away to finish coloring her picture.

"I heard you three liked the fruit, was that true?" Edward asked as he knelt down to their level. Katie hid her face against Bella's thigh but Bree and Tanya scooted around their mother and stood before Edward.

"I loved it!" Tanya said, her blond curls bouncing around her angelic face. She threw herself into Edward's arms, tipping him off-balance and backwards. He landed on his butt, his arms full of exuberant three-year-old.

Rosalie and Carlisle left a few minutes later, but Edward stayed, allowing himself to be dragged around by four excited little girls. All the while Bella looked on and tried not to let her heart go off without her head.

* * *

**A/N: Poor Bella. She puts her girls first but will she ever find a man to put her first?**

**I think so.**

**One more later.**

**KK**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Bye Mr. Edward!" the girls yelled as Bella led Edward outside. Tanya had been reluctant to let him go, and she was still whimpering pitifully in Renee's arms.

"Bye girls. I'll see you soon," Edward called. The early evening had cooled down slightly and Bella pulled her sweater around her as she stood next to Edward awkwardly.

"Those girls are amazing," he said, his mind still obviously on the four little ones inside. Bella was slightly jealous that her girls could capture his attention so quickly. Just as quickly though, his eyes met hers and it was clear his attention had been re-directed. "You've done an amazing job."

Bella blushed as she brushed off his compliment. She hated compliments, they always seemed to just be bullshit.

"I can't wait to see you again," Edward said, his hand unconsciously going to his hair. Bella hid her smile as his fingers disappeared into his dark waves. He desperately needed a haircut. His shirt was a funky color yellow, and with his brown suit and gold tie, it was obvious he needed someone with taste to help him dress.

They stood awkwardly across from each other for a few minutes before Bella had had enough.

"So are you going to kiss me or what?" The second the words were out she wished she could take them back, but Edward stood taller and reached for her. One hand tipped her head back as the other wrapped around her waist. Their eyes met for a moment before his lips on hers sent all thoughts from her head. He was just barely taller than she was, yet she fit perfectly in his embrace. His hands were strong enough to guide her where he wanted her to go, yet gentle enough to make her feel special. As they pulled apart, Bella realized her head and heart were now firmly headed down the same path.

* * *

**A/N: Say it with me...Awwwww!**

**And yes...that is exactly how it happened. **

**Mwah!**

**See you tomorrow!**

**KK**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"The zoo?"

"Yes," Bella replied, silently kicking herself for asking. She and Edward had been having some wonderful text conversations for the past few weeks, and she was desperate to see him again. The girls had been on her as well to see Mr. Edward. A trip to the local zoo seemed like a great compromise.

"I'd love to go," Edward said, holding his cell phone against his shoulder as he sorted the files on his desk. He was in the process of switching law firms and his current firm, Volturi and Associates, was making things difficult for him. Emmett, one of the named partners of Edward's new firm had been trying to keep things amicable as he stole one of their prized attorneys, but Volturi was taking it as a personal affront.

"Did you want to meet at my parent's house?" Bella had yet to get up the courage to ask Edward to come over to her house. She was desperately embarrassed by the state of it. They had bought it in rough shape with the hope that her ex-husband would fix it up. Only after they got married the only thing he wanted to fix was a cold beer and the TV remote. She had been doing small, inexpensive projects since he'd left, but it was like putting lipstick on a pig.

"Sounds like a plan," Edward said, anxiously awaiting their trip. He'd fallen hard and fast for Bella and her girls. He knew from the moment he met her, Bella was it for him. He'd been certain he was never getting married. At 29, he was fine being a single man, though he knew kids were in his future. His plan was to buy a house and apply to adopt a child from Poland, which was one of the few countries that allowed single fathers to adopt. He'd get a two-year-old little girl and live happily ever after. Now he was looking at the world in an entirely different way, with four little girls and an amazing woman beside him. Though marriage scared the shit out of him, he was certain there was no way he'd be able to live without Bella and her girls.

* * *

**A/N: He insists he knew he wanted me forever from the moment we met. So damn cheesy...**

**One more coming...**

**Mwah!**

**KK**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"Are you having a good time?" Edward asked for the third time. The zoo had been amazing. The girls had been there several times before and told him all about the porcupine that liked to dance and the birds that drank nectar right out of your hand. He'd even spoiled them with five dollars each to spend at the gift shop, which was a big deal since Bella never had spending money for the gift shop. Rosalie had paid for a year membership for them, which was the only way they could afford to go at all. The girls were spending the evening and night with Bella's parents and Edward had jumped at the chance to get Bella all to himself. It wasn't that he didn't like spending time as a 'family', he just wanted his relationship with Bella to be the cornerstone of the family. He wanted the girls to be a bonus. His relationship with their mother was the real prize.

"It's beautiful here," Bella sighed as she sat down on a bench. They'd been wandering around a small lake as the early autumn breeze blowing her hair away from her face and making the colorful leaves around them dance. Edward sat down next to her. They'd had such little time to themselves since they'd met and he hadn't wanted to touch her much with the girls around. Now that he had her alone, he couldn't seem to keep his hands off her. She fit perfectly beneath his arm. Though they were about the same height, her legs were longer whereas his torso was longer, meaning when they sat down, he was taller.

"Thank you for putting up with the girls," Bella said softly. "I know they're a handful and because there are four of them, everything is more expensive."

"I like being able to do nice things for you and the girls," Edward admitted, turning Bella on the bench so she faced him. "God, you're beautiful."

"And you're blind," Bella scoffed, trying to turn her face out of his hold. He wouldn't let go.

"No, you're the one who's blind. You're gorgeous."

Bella leaned forward, kissing him both because she wanted to and to shut him up. His lips were the perfect mixture of manly and plush, she had never felt anything like it. His hair was thick, weaving between her fingers as she held his head still. She wanted him desperately. She'd been alone for nearly two years and her ex-husband hadn't touched her but for a few times since the twins had been born four years earlier, and one of those times she'd conceived Katie.

"Can we go somewhere?" Bella panted, pulling away before she devoured him right there on the bench.

"Um," Edward mumbled, wishing he hadn't moved back in with his parents while he looked for a house to buy. "My office is close by."

Bella wrapped her hands in the back of Edward's shirt as he unlocked the door to the law office and turned off the alarm.

"My office is up here," he said, nerves suddenly hitting hard. He'd been quite the ladies' man in both college and law school, but Bella was different. With every other girl, he'd stopped kissing them as soon as he'd gotten whatever it was he was after. He didn't really care if they felt wanted or, hell, even happy. He'd made several mistakes, including allowing one of his past girlfriends to continue to be a part of his life, but with Bella, he needed it to be different.

"Come here," Edward ordered as he sat down in one of the plush office chairs. Bella flushed slightly at the commanding tone in his voice, but obeyed, sitting astride his thighs. She tried to keep most of her weight off him, but he wouldn't allow it, pulling her off-balance and into his arms. His lips were everywhere, on her throat, in her hair, against her own. She was lost. It wasn't until his fingers started to unbutton her shirt did she come crashing down to earth.

"Ah," she joked, trying to still his fingers, "my least favorite body part."

"Oh Bella, stop it," he growled, hating the way she looked at herself. She'd had four children. Of course she wouldn't look like a 20-year-old. He didn't want a 20-year-old, he wanted her. He somehow managed to get both her shirt and bra off, dodging her fighting hands. "You're perfect," he whispered as he bent down and kissed the soft flesh, gently twisting her nipples until she gasped and writhed against him.

"Please," she whimpered, yanking at the buttons of his shorts. There was no way in hell he would make love to her on the floor of his office, but he'd do his best to at least get her off. Though he tried his best to get her beneath him, somehow he ended up the one on the bottom. Bella sat between his knees, her warm breath leaving a path of goosebumps as she traveled across his chest.

"Baby, please," he begged, trying to get her away from the part of his anatomy that was standing up, pleading for some attention.

"I've been watching a ton of porn and there are some things I want to try," Bella mumbled as she gently held his dick in her palm. Edward's eyes rolled back in his head at both her words and the feel of her hand sliding up and down his shaft.

"Whatever you want, baby." She placed gently, open-mouth kisses along his thigh as her hand stroked him. He squirmed under her, his hands finding purchase in her hair. Bella felt powerful as she brought him closer and closer to the edge, loving the way he fought against her, his natural desire to be the one bring her pleasure outweighed by the euphoria he was feeling. When he finally came, shouting her name loudly, she felt better than if she'd had an orgasm herself.

"Jesus, baby," Edward sighed as he pulled her up beside him, "what kinda porn have you been watching?"

"Mostly gay porn. Those boys know how to give a blowjob!"

* * *

**A/N: True fact. I learned all my skills from gay porn. It's epic.**

**Sigh...memories.**

**See you tomorrow!**

**Mwah!**

**KK**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"You want me to what?" Bella asked sleepily. She'd finally bitten the bullet and allowed Edward to come out to their house. With him still in the process of switching firms and buying a new house, he was staying at his parent's house which was an hour away. By staying with her, he saved a ton of time plus got to hold her as they fell asleep.

"I want you to come look at houses with me," Edward whispered against her temple. She was curled around him, the only way she could keep warm. Edward looked around the disgusting basement where she slept. The girls were asleep in two warm, decent bedrooms upstairs while she slept in an unfinished, radon-filled basement. He hated it.

"You're ridiculous," Bella sighed as she snuggled closer. Edward was always so damn warm. "I knew you'd do this once you saw the house."

"I'm not kidding. You don't have to move in with me right away, but it would be nice to have your opinion."

"Don't you think I should probably meet your parents first?" Bella teased, knowing she'd hit a spot of contention.

"Um," Edward hesitated. His mother was a good old Italian-Catholic and he was the golden child. The fact that Edward's girlfriend not only had been married before but had four kids was not a good thing. "What if we go this weekend?"

*()*()*()*()*()*()*

"Oh, I'm going to throw up."

"You're being silly," Edward teased as he reached across the center console for Bella's hand. He hadn't been kidding when he'd suggested they go up and meet his parents that weekend. Now they were nearly there and Bella was freaking out.

"She's going to hate me," she moaned, her palms sweating against Edward's.

"No she won't. Come on, I love you and they're going to love you."

Bella held her breath, waiting for Edward to realize what he'd just said. She'd know she was in love with him for a while now, but she'd never thought he'd be the one to say it first, accident or not. When he didn't comment on his slip-up, Bella just let it go. There was palpable tension in the car and Bella hated it. At the next red light she leaned across the car and kissed his cheek, burying her nose in his hair.

"I am ridiculously in love with you," she whispered and could feel the anxiety melt out of him.

"I didn't mean to say that, but it's true," Edward sighed, "I love you. Now lets go meet my mom."

* * *

**A/N: The ones that are an accident are the best!**

**One more coming later. **

**Mwah!**

**KK**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"What do you mean you're not divorced?"

Bella sat looking down at her hands folded in her lap. The topic had come up while they were having dinner with Edward's family and she'd managed to keep Edward's ire misdirected until they were on their way back to her house. Now that they were alone in the car, his full temper had been unleashed.

"Divorces are expensive," Bella said, which made Edward slam his hand down on the steering wheel.

"I know they're expensive, Bella! I'm a divorce attorney!"

"Well…I was just waiting to have the money to get it done."

"Tomorrow. Tomorrow we are going to start working on the papers so we can get you divorced. You're mine, not his."

Bella hid her smile and nodded.

*()*()*()*()*()*

"So why don't we just give him the house?" Edward asked as they sat across Bella's dining room table. The girls were playing with the new puzzles and coloring books Edward's mother had sent down. They were planning on bringing the girls up to meet his family soon, but his mother was still worried she'd get attached to them and then they would break up. Edward was doing his best to make sure that never happened.

"And we live where?" Bella snapped. The entire matter of formulating the divorce was giving her a headache. Plus she had a feeling her ex-husband had a plan in the works. She'd been getting more and more text messages from him asking to see the girls, yet when she gave him the opportunities, he never showed up. The fact that he was interjecting himself into their lives made her nervous though.

"I made an offer on that house we looked at. The one with the pool and the four bedrooms." Bella's head snapped up and she stared at Edward with tears in her eyes.

"Really?"

"Baby, how could I not? There's no way in hell you can live here any longer and I can't stand sleeping in that basement. Now that I'm full-time at McCarty, Newton and Whitlock, it's too hard for me to be commuting from my parents. I want us to all move in together."

"Are you sure? I mean, really, really sure? I can't stand the thought of us all moving in together and then you changing your mind. Especially if I decide to give up the house. We could not survive living with my parents and I can't afford to even rent a place big enough for the five of us if you kicked us out."

"Bella, baby, you're my forever. Move in with me."

"Yes."

*()*()*()*()*()*()*

"So wait, I'm confused," Bella said as she sat in the car with Edward. They had been having a perfectly nice day looking at furniture for the new house when a mysterious call came through the car's Bluetooth. "You told me about this girl, right? The one who lied about having brain cancer for two years so you wouldn't dump her, then had to come clean when your mom found out it wasn't true. This is the same girl who ruined your last two relationships because she is actually a certifiably insane. And you still talk to her on the _phone_?"

Bella was irate. Beyond irate. Edward's mother had warned her about Irina, told her that she was insane and possibly dangerous. Edward had blown off his mother's rants, assuring Bella that Irina was just a friend and that she wanted to be friends with her too. At the time, Bella just thought the poor girl was jealous. Now that she realized Irina was still contacting Edward, she was Starting to realize every warning had been well founded.

"This isn't me being insecure or jealous, Edward," Bella assured him. "This is me protecting the man I love from a dangerous person. She lied to you. She hijacked two years of your life. There is no way in hell that she is getting into our lives. No fucking way. She needs to just remember you fondly as the one that got away and get the fuck away!"

"She said you would be threatened, but that I should tell you that she's dating a girl, so you shouldn't worry," Edward said, holding back a smile.

"Damn it, Edward! It's not funny. She's dangerous and it upsets me that she continues to contact you. Please make it clear she needs to go away."

"I will, baby. Anything for you."

* * *

**A/N: Fact is more crazy than fiction sometimes. Crazypants is a real person who is indeed nuts. She is bonkers. Truestory.**

**Sorry for the late update. I had a bad day in real life and I couldn't get my doc manager to be nice and let me upload. But your kind words make it better**

**bright side is you get two more later. **

**Mwah!**

**KK**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"There's no way in hell I'm letting you take my girls."

Bella held her tongue and just let the asshole rant. Edward told her she needed to get her ex-husband's permission in order for them to live together. She'd already gotten in in written form, he'd said okay with it in an email, but now that they were actually getting ready to start the moving process, he was trying to back out.

"They're my girls!" he yelled into the phone. Bella had a million examples of how he'd let down 'his girls', but knew she'd be getting nowhere fast if she tried to do that.

"I don't need your permission, I already have it in written form. All I'm asking is for two more weeks in the house. Our closing date got moved and we need to stay at the old house for two more weeks."

"Fuck that!" he growled, "you said I could take possession December first and that's what I'm going to do!"

"Why are you being such a dick? This means I have to get a storage unit and find someplace for us to live for two weeks!"

"I don't care. You said I could have it."

"Fine."

Bella was shaking by the time she got off the phone with Jacob. She tried to text Edward, but her fingers wouldn't work. She had no idea how she was going to be able to come up with the money to pay for a storage unit, let alone a truck to take all their stuff to the unit. By the time she'd calmed down, Edward was walking through the door.

"Jacob won't let us stay here," she cried, throwing herself at him. Edward took her weight with a muffled grunt as he tried to understand her tears. Though he was a very smart man when it came to most things, emotions were just something he was not familiar with. His family all said he was like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. When met with a crisis, he was often left just standing, mute. His natural instinct was to offer them a hot beverage. His mother joked that she wasn't entirely sure he had tear ducts until he cried at his great aunt's funeral earlier that year.

"It's fine. We can just stay at your parent's house and get a storage unit. I can pay for it." Even though Bella had been slowly coming to terms with letting Edward pay for more things, it was still difficult to accept his money. She'd been on her own for so long, it was second nature to refuse his help.

"My parents will hate us by the time we move out."

"Well if they do, too bad for them."

* * *

**A/N: It came very closer to them hating us.**

**:-P**

**MWAH!**

**KK**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"Are you sure this is our house?"

Edward laughed as he watched Bella walk around the empty space. They were doing the final walk through before he signed the papers and they got the key.

"Yes, baby," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. It had been a long time since they'd had time to anything more than just kiss, but with the realtor waiting outside, it would just have to wait.

"Your mom is okay taking the girls all weekend so we can move?" Bella asked between kisses. The meet and greet had gone better than anyone had imagined and Edward's mother was now firmly established as Grandma. Everyone was thrilled with the situation except Bella's mother, who felt that as the only grandmother the girls had ever known, she should get special treatment. It was a constant battle to make sure that everyone got the time they felt the needed with the girls. Often it was Edward and Bella who got the short end of the stick.

"They're super excited to have the girls all to themselves. They have a bunch of things planned," Edward laughed. He could never have imagined that his parents would be so accepting of the girls as their own. He felt like the girls were his. They'd been calling him daddy for a while now after Alice had asked if he would mind if they called him daddy, since he was the one who tucked them in at night and comforted them when they cried. He was honored to have the girls accept him so freely, and happy to have the name 'Mr. Edward' gone.

"Should we go buy a house?" Edward teased as he pulled Bella out the door.

*()*()*()*()*

"I feel like I don't deserve this," Bella whispered into the darkness of their bedroom. They were sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Their bed frame was being delivered the next day, so they were camping out until it arrived.

"You deserve this, Bella," Edward replied, rolling over to take her into his arms. He pushed up onto his elbow, looking down at the beautiful woman next to him. He could see the glimmer of tears in her eyes and hated they were there. Her insecurities were something they were continually working on and he hoped one day that she would stop feeling like everything could be taken away from her.

"God, baby, you deserve everything I can give you and more," he sighed as he reached for her face. He bent down and kissed her closed, damp eyes. "I love you. Why do you keep making me love you?"

"I don't make you do anything," Bella giggled, wiggling further into his embrace.

"Yes you do. You make me love you," Edward growled. "You make me want you. You make me want to give you everything."

"All I want is you and the girls. You're all I need."

Bella slid her hands beneath his t-shirt, urging him closer to her. She needed to feel his weight on her, needed to feel his heart beating against hers. With one quick tug, Edward pulled Bella's nightgown up over her head. She was glorious in the light shining in from behind the curtains, the glow from the street light making her skin look golden. His hands moved gently over her body, knowing just where she liked to be touched. Hers did the same, tangling in his short hair as she urged him on top of her.

"You want me, baby? You ready for me?" he cooed, his breath hot against her ear. She was nearly beyond speech by that point, Edward had somehow managed to find parts of her body she'd never knew existed. She was already on the edge before he ever pushed inside her. God, it was always so good, that first slow slide..

"Please, Edward," Bella sighed, needing him to tip her over the edge. His hand snuck between them, his fingers knowing exactly what they needed to do. Two more thrust and she exploded around him. He held her tight as he spilled himself inside her. With no little ears to overhear, they'd christened the house, and made it their home.

* * *

**:-)**

**Wink wink...**

**So yeah...I suck at math. I thought I'd had enough chapters to do two a day until Friday. Instead you'll get two today, two tomorrow and one on Friday, my wedding day. Math and I...we don't get along.**

**Mwah!**

**KK**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"Daddy, can we watch Pokemon with you?" Tanya asked as she curled up next to Edward on the couch. Now that they had more time together as a family in their new house, the girls were happier and more relaxed. There was still the ever-present specter of fathers past looming over their heads, but the divorce would be final mid-January, which was only a few weeks away.

"Sure baby girl," Edward said as he pulled up the blanket and allowed four warm bodies to snuggle next to him. Bella cleaned the kitchen, sneaking peeks of her girls and the man she loved. There was nothing as perfect as watching a man who didn't _have _to love your children, loving your children. It took a special kind of person, Bella thought, to be as open-hearted and kind as Edward was. Though he still struggled with understanding why the girls, and women in general, cried so much, he was getting better. He was also not expecting quite as much from the girls as he had been. When they first moved into the house, he had demanded that the toys stay in the toy room and their bedrooms always be clean. That lasted four days. Now as long as their rooms are clean and Bella wasn't having to spend time every day straightening up their things, he was happy.

"You want to do takeout for dinner?" Edward asked from his comfortable spot on the couch. He'd realized soon after he met Bella that there were very few things he could do to help her. He made money and could pay for things. He could also follow directions pretty well. So he made sure if there was a bill to pay, he did it. Everything else he left to Bella. Though why she demanded that they wash their sheets every week confused the hell out of him. When he'd been in law school, he had two sets of sheets, winter and summer. They got washed when he switched them and that was fine.

"You want to get married?"

Edward sat straight up on the couch, children flying here and there as he struggled to turn and look at Bella.

"What?"

"Are you going to marry me? I think we should. Oh, and I'd also really like to have at least one more baby," Bella said as she wiped down the table.

"Um, okay? I mean, being a divorce attorney I never really wanted to get married…" he hesitated. Bella put her hands on her hips and smirked at him.

"Nice try, but you're doing more social security, disability and bankruptcy cases now," she teased.

"Um, we won't have as much sex?" he mumbled, thankful the girls were distracted with the cartoon on TV.

"We barely have sex now ever since your testosterone hit the toilet," Bella growled. It was a constant battle between them for the ownership of his penis. Bella claimed that it really belonged to her and she should have access to it whenever she wanted. Poor Edward just barely had enough testosterone in his system to grow facial hair, and even that was coming in spotty now.

"Baby," Edward sighed, but seeing the disappointed look on his face, Edward relented. How much more 'married' could they get? They already had a joint bank account, were on a shared cell phone plan and had four kids! At that moment, Edward took it upon himself to try and plan the easiest and most stress-free wedding the world had ever seen.

* * *

**A/N: Pretty much exactly how it went down.**

**And low testosterone is a bitch. :-(**

**See you tomorrow!**

**MWAH!**

**KK**


	13. Chapter 13

***Intense real-life sadness warning. ***

**Chapter Thirteen**

"God, I really don't feel good," Bella moaned as she leaned against the kitchen counter. It was Valentine's Day and the girls were spending the weekend with Edward's parents to give Bella and Edward some romantic time to themselves. Their plan was to pick out their wedding rings, since they'd settled on a late August wedding date. Bella was hoping to have custom made recycled, eco-friendly rings while Edward didn't care at all. He just wanted it to match his watch.

"We don't have to go, baby," Edward cooed, hating when his girl was sick.

"No, I want to go, just…give me a minute." Edward waited downstairs while Bella headed up to their room. After waiting for ten minutes, Edward went up to see what was taking her so long. He found Bella sitting in their room, crying.

"What's wrong, baby?" Bella looked up at him, her eyes holding so much pain.

"I think I had a miscarriage."

*()*()*()*()*

"You know we weren't ready for a baby," Edward said as they drove toward the mall later that weekend.

"I know," Bella replied as she looked out the window.

"And it's not like we can't just make another one."

"I know."

"I love you."

"I know. Hey," Bella asked, turning her head to look at him, "did you get me something for Valentine's Day?" Edward shrugged his shoulders as he met her eyes.

"I guess I gave you something, but you didn't keep it." Bella's face fell as Edward struggled to hold in his laughter. "Too soon?"

"Yes you asshole, too soon!" Bella snapped, smacking him on the arm. She felt a smile pulling at her lips but fought against it. Damn him for always making her laugh when she didn't want to.

"We can try again, though," Edward said, "when the time is right."

"I know," Bella replied, once more turning to look out the window.

* * *

**A/N: It was a shitty Valentine's Day this year. But there's always next year.**

**Yes, it was indeed too soon, and heartless and shitty-but that's how this Edward (and my RL man) deals with anything involving emotions. We can be mad at him all we want, but in the end he just wasn't made with any kind of compassion or empathy. **

**MWAH!  
KK**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"What do you mean he filed for custody?" Bella asked. Edward had gotten the mail and was holding a thick envelope.

"I've seen enough of these from Domestic Relations to know what's inside, Bella," he soothed, standing next to her as she opened the envelope. Inside was indeed a petition for custody of the girls. Jacob had felt that he wasn't seeing them enough. Funny enough, it followed right after Bella had filed for child support since the support payments had nearly disappeared.

"He's doing this because we're getting married. That old house was disgusting when we were living in it and I was taking care of it. Just imagine how horrible it is now with him and the princess living there," Bella growled. She didn't care that Jacob had moved his twenty –year-old girlfriend in. She didn't care that they were together, she just hated that her girls were going to be taken away from the comfortable, warm, safe home she and Edward had made for them.

"Bella, there's not much we can do. He's their biological father," Edward soothed. He had been though enough custody hearings to know that Jacob would get at least two full weekends a month, if not more.

"Don't try and be all understanding! They're our girls! We are the ones who are up with them when they're sick. We are the ones who give them baths. We are the ones who take care of them and kiss them goodnight. He was the one who left them! He walked away because it was hard! Now all the sudden the courts think he should just get…three weekends a month?! That's insane!" Bella screamed. She knew she was taking her frustration out on Edward and that wasn't fair, but she just needed someone to take it before she drowned in the pain and anger. She couldn't stand having her girls taken away from her. Who needed her then? If she wasn't the girls' mother, who the hell was she?

"Baby, it's going to be okay. Soon enough they will get upset that they have to miss all the fun we're having and they'll start fighting the visits and then he will have a bunch of miserable girls on his hands. You know how horrible it is to be around Alice when she's upset. And Katie can only be soothed by you, you know that. We just need to be patient."

"I don't want to be patient. I just want to know my girls are safe."

*()*()*()*

"Bye girls! Have fun! We love you!" Bella turned as soon as Jacob's car was out of sight and sobbed into Edward's chest. "It's not fair."

"I know, baby," he soothed, "I'm going to miss them too. But just think how nice it will be for us to be just us. You and I will be so much stronger because we have time with the girls and time for us. And you can't feel guilty because you can't help the fact that the asshole has them for three weekends a month. It's a court order. So you can just be mine until Sunday," Edward said. Bella hated when he made sense, which he usually did.

"Your child support hearing is on Monday anyway. Jacob is going to try and get the support amount lowered because he just can't afford it. He should have thought about that before he had four kids and then abandoned them," Edward said as he steered them inside. "It's his loss, though. Now all of you are mine."

"You know I can't wait to really be yours, right?" Bella asked, constantly worried by the time the wedding day actually came, Edward would chicken out. They had managed to break the events down into bite-sized pieces for Edward. They would have a quiet ceremony at the courthouse in late August, followed by a backyard reception with close friends and family in September and then a full-on party at an adult-version of Chuckie Cheese in late September. Edward didn't want his fraternity brothers anywhere near his dear sweet Aunt Esme, so he split the guest list accordingly.

"I know, baby," Edward replied, holding her hand tightly. "But you know I will be scared out of my mind until the minute I say 'I do,' right?"

"As long as you say the words, you can be scared all you want. This is it, baby. You're my happily ever after. You are my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."

"Is that a comment referencing how much money I make?" Edward joked, knowing Bella would want him even if he was penniless.

"You have to realize that we were meant to be. If you hadn't gone through all the hundreds of women…"

"Hey- it wasn't _that_ many," Edward defended.

"And I hadn't married the asshole and had the girls, we would never have met. Everything in our past was just a yellow brick road that led us to each other."

"Does that mean you're my Dorothy, since you're always telling me I'm your home?" Edward asked.

"Yes it does. It also means you're my Tin Man since the girls and I gave you a heart."

* * *

**A/N: Awwww...that last part didn't happen. I look some artistic liberty. Though he is my home and I did give him a heart. **

**One more chapter coming tomorrow between making my bouquet, doing my hair and driving to the courthouse.**

**MWAH!**

**Have I mentioned how honored I am that all of you are coming on this adventure with me? The next chapter will not have all the answers, because as creative as I am, there is no way I can predict what will come next. **

**KK**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

"I picked up the marriage license," Edward said as he walked in the front door.

"Well good since we're getting married in a week."

"Hey…baby steps. I'm still pretty sure you're going to leave me and I'll be all sad and broken," Edward sighed.

"Baby, you're the one I'm worried will decide not to show up," Bella teased. They had been getting back RSVPs for the dual receptions but the actual wedding was just for their family and extremely close friends. The girls were just excited to wear big fluffy dresses and carry flowers.

"Irina called me again today," Edward said from the other room. He closed his eyes and counted to five, surprised when something didn't come flying at his head. His ex-girlfriend and certifiable crazypants as Bella liked to call her was a point of contention between them. Edward felt she was harmless, Bella would love it if she moved across the country.

"Is she still upset she didn't get an invitation to the wedding?" Bella asked, her nails digging into her palm in an attempt to stay calm. She knew Edward didn't understand her anger toward Irina, so she did her best to hide it.

"She is. She says we're friends and so she should get invited because of that. I told her she upsets my wife and she should go fuck a goat," Edward said proudly, loving the look of triumph that brightened Bella's eyes.

"You did?" she whispered, moving slowly across the room to where Edward was standing. The girls would be back from their dinner date with Bella's parents any minute and then they were all going in the pool. Their happy little house was soon going to be full of joyful screams, but Bella needed to make sure she'd heard right.

"You have to realize by now that you are the most important person in the world to me. Your happiness is my happiness. I love you," Edward replied, still surprised after nearly a year that Bella doubted she was worthy of such love and kindness.

"I love you more than is rational, even if you are an asshole most of the time," Bella sighed as she let him pull her into his arms. She'd never felt as calm and happy as she did when he held her. Most days she craved that feeling to the point that she jumped on him the moment he walked in the door. Though they'd been through vindictive ex-husbands and jealous ex-girlfriends, in-laws that bickered and fought and the constant challenge that came from raising children, Bella knew she would always have safely and security in the arms of Edward…forever.

* * *

**A/N: So...I really, really meant to update this before we went to the courthouse, but I was SO busy with the girls and then driving and well...getting married...this is the first time I've had to grab my phone! He actually did s****how up! And everything went off without a hitch (except for my brother and his best friend getting stuck in traffic and missing the ceremony) I had a few pictures I was able to snag with my phone, but most of them were taken on real cameras *gasp* so now I have to wait to get them from the appropriate people. Which sucks. If you would like...here is a link for the one picture I do have of the girls and I. I have none on my phone of me and my Edward. :-( **

**Don't forget the http and to get rid of the spaces by the periods. **

** i1164 . photobucket albums/q565/kitkatcullen/Mobile%20Uploads/image . jpg**

**I'll be sure to update again in a few days the retelling of the actual wedding, because with the four girls there were some epic little quotes. **

**Thanks for taking this journey with me!**

**MWAH!**

**KK**


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